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Hands Across The Table provided 7,015 free meals during 2013

Each Tuesday evening, the local non-profit Hands Across the Table (HATT) provides a free hot dinner to those in need. Our home is the Boys and Girls Club of the Lakes Region, 876 North Main St., Laconia. We make every attempt to live up to our mission statement: "To feed all who are hungry in body and spirit. We do so willingly and with compassion and understanding." All are welcome.

Recently, the HATT Board of Directors made a concerted effort to raise the money needed to fund our program for the next 12 months. In November, we held a dessert auction at the Beane Conference Center. During the months of November and December, we conducted a sustainability campaign by mail, asking for donations. Last Sunday, Feb. 9, we held our third annual Soupathon and Silent Service Auction for the community at St. Andre Bessette Parish Hall.

Each fundraiser was successful, either meeting or exceeding our goals. HATT volunteers and supporting religious organizations, service clubs, businesses and the community at large gave with open hands and hearts. Our donors are too numerous to list in this letter. A notice of thanks is forthcoming in the local papers. For now, suffice it to say that Hands Across the Table is a community organization well-supported by its community.

Whether you bid $50 for a homemade pie at the dessert auction, contributed $1,000 to the sustainability campaign, paid $10 for a ticket to the Soupathon, or won the hot air balloon ride for $55 at the Silent Service Auction, we sincerely thank you.

In 2013, we provided 7,015 meals. We plan to provide as many or more in 2014. We are grateful for your fundraising support, knowing that we could not provide these meals without you.